Wire positioning and protective device



March 25, 1969 w, NESTLERQDE, SR 3,434,682

WIRE POSITIONING AND PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 1966 FIG. 3.

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United States Patent 3,434,682 WIRE POSITIONING AND PROTECTIVE DEVICE William A. Nestlerode, Sr., Littleton, Colo., assignor to Ball Brothers Research Corporation, Boulder, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Filed Dec. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 605,667 Int. Cl. F16l 3/22 US. Cl. 248-68 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a wire positioning and protective device, and more particularly to a device for use downhole in an oil well to position a wire relative to a cable and tubing likewise extending downhole to thus protect the wire against damage.

It is oftentimes necessary that a length of wire extend downhole in an oil well in addition to the tubing and cable which are normally utilized. Such would be the case, for example, where downhole instruments, such as pressure sensing elements or the like, must be electrically connected with surface instruments, such as recording devices or the like. It has proved to be difiicult in such a situation to prevent breaks from occurring in the wire extending between the downhole and surface units, which breaks, of course, preclude obtaining necessary information or necessitates expensive delays while the wire is mended or replaced.

While many wire positioning and protective devices have heretofore been suggested and/or utilized in many diverse fields, including various fields encompassing oil well installations, none have proved to be completely successful in positioning and protecting a downhole extending wire against damage.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved wire positioning and protective device that maintains the wire in a given preselected position and protects the same against breakage downhole in an oil well.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved wire positioning and protective device having a notch therein for receiving and positioning a wire relative to a cable and tubing extending downhole in an oil well.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved wire positioning and protective device having a channel therein to receive a device-securing band.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a wire positioning and protective device having a metal jacket fixed in a channel in the device to facilitate securing of said device by means of a band.

With these and other objects in view, which will be come apparent to one skilled in the art as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete embodiment of the invention according to the best r 17, 18, and 19, the surfaces are mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, together with one modification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a plu rality of positioning and protective devices of this invention secured to tubing and cable by means of fastening bands;

FIGURE 2 is a top view illustrating the positioning and protective device of this invention secured to tubing and cable by means of a fastening band;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the wire positioning and protective device of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side sectional view of the device shown in FIGURE 3 taken through the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end view 3 showing the undercut thereof; and

FIGURE 6 is a side view of a positioning and protective device such as shown in FIGURE 3 but having a metal jacket in the undercut channel to facilitate fastening of the device to a fastening band.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 9 refers generally to the wire positioning and protective device of this invention shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 held in engagement with tubing 10 and cable 11 by means of a band 12, said band being preferably a flexible metal band.

As shown best in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, wire positioning and protective device 9 is substantially a right triangular prism in configuration, and is made of resilient material, preferably rubber. As shown best in FIGURES 2 and 3, the three lateral faces 14, 15, and 16 of device 9 are substantially flat except that near the lateral edges rounded and in the case of faces 14 and 15 extended toward lateral face 16 in substantially parallel planes for a short distance to facilitate forming of the channel 20 in lateral face 16.

As shown best in FIGURE 4, lateral face 14 has a small area relative to lateral face 15 and lateral face 16 has a still larger area than does lateral face 15. It is to be appreciated, however, that the particular configuration shown is for illustration purposes only, and can be varied as needed or desired so long as one lateral face is preserved for engagement with the cable and another with the tubing as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Lateral face 15 has a notch 22 cut therein, said notch being of sufficient size to receive the wire to be protected. As shown in FIGURE 4, notch 18 is preferably cut into face 15 at an angle so that the notch is normal to face 16.

Face 16 has a channel 20 cut therein as brought out hereinabove. As shown best in FIGURE 5, channel 20 is undercut so that each side of the channel has a flange 24 which extends inwardly into the channel so that band 12 extends into the undercut portion to prevent the device from slipping relative to the band.

The size of the band 12, of course, depends upon the relative size of the tubing, cable, and wire, but is preferably wide enough to fit under flange 24 when in channel 20.

In operation, a wire is inserted in notch 22, which notch extends entirely across the face 15 between the bases 26 and 27 of device 9. Device 9 is positioned with face 14 in engagement with cable 11 and face 15 in engagement with tubing 10. Band 12, extending through channel 20 on face 16 is then tightened around the tubing, cable, and device 9 to fix the position of each relative to the other and protect the wire extending through notch 22. Tightening of band 12 also causes notch 22 to be reduced in size to firmly hold the wire in position of the device of FIGURE channel on one lateral face within the notch. As shown in FIGURE 1, a plurality of protective devices are preferably spaced along the tubing and cable to thus protect the wire throughout its entire length.

As shown in FIGURE 6, channel 20 may have a metal jacket 29 inserted and fixed in the channel to receive the band and better prevent separation of the device from the band.

As can be seen from the foregoing, the improved wire positioning and protective device of this invention provides a simple, yet dependable means for positioning a wire downhole in an oil Well to protect the Wire against damage.

I claim:

1. An assembly for use downhole in an oil well, comprising: a length of tubing; a length of cable; a length of wire of small diameter relative to said tubing and cable; a positioning and protective device of substantially triangular configuration and having one lateral face engaging said cable, a second lateral face engaging said tubing and having a notch therein of a size sufficient to receive said wire, and a third face having a channel therein that is normal to said notch; and a fastening band extending around said tubing and cable and being received in said channel to hold said protective device in engagement with said tubing and cable and thereby retain said wire in a protected position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a plurality of protective and positioning devices are spaced along said tubing and cable to position and protect said wire.

3. A wire positioning and protective device for use downhole in an oil well, said device being of substantially triangular configuration and having first, second, and third external faces with one of said faces having a notch therein for receiving a wire to be supported, said first and second external faces each being adapted for engagement with a different supporting member so that said device is supported at least partially between said support members when in engagement therewith, and said third external face having an undercut channel therein extending in a direction substantially normal to said notch and adapting said third external face for engagement with a fastening band for maintaining engagement of said device for said supporting members.

4. A wire positioning and protective device for use in conjunction with relatively large diameter tubing and cable downhole in an oil well, said device being of substantially triangular configuration and having first, second, and third external faces with one of said faces having a notch therein for receiving a wire to be supported, said first external face being engageable with said cable and said second external face being engageable with said tubing so that said device is supported at least partially between said cable and said tubing when in engagement therewith, and said third external face having an undercut channel therein extending in a direction substantially normal to said notch and adapting said third external face for engagement with a fastening band extending around said tubing and said cable for maintaining engagement of said device with said tubing and said cable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,628,623 5/1927 Jonnes 248231 X 2,489,119 11/1949 Burns 24868 2,595,857 5/1952 Kinsel 24861 3,140,557 7/1964 Albrycht 248231 X 3,211,381 10/1965 Rasmussen 248231 X 3,032,603 5/ 1962 Whitley 24861 X FOREIGN PATENTS 695,251 9/ 1964 Canada. 1,013,616 12/1965 Great Britain.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 248231 

